Metal filing-case.



L. TL KUEHL.

METAL FILING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24. I913.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

L. T. KU EHL.

METAL FILING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24. 1913.

1 $5251 6. Patented Jan. s, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- smiles LUDWIG I. KUEHL, F BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS SIGN- *MENTS, TO BAKER-VAWTEB COMPANY, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, A CORPO- RATION OF MICHIGAN.

METAL FILING-CASE.

Specification of Letters IatentL Patented J an. 8, 193.8.-

Application filed November 24', 1913. Serial No. 802,669. I

ToaZZ whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, LUDWIG T.'KUEHL, residing at Benton Harbor, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Filing-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to metal filing cases built up of a plurality of units and the object thereof is to provide a novel, simple and eflicient construction of such cases. more particularly of the framework which together with a sliding drawer constitutes a unit.

These frames are so made as to interlock with a superimposed frame and the lowermost one to interlock with bases. I also provide simple and efiicient means for locking together two or more stacks of units side by side and also means for leveling the outermost corners of such units so locked together. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a stack of units embodying our invention showing at the top the framework of another unit about to be added thereto; Fig. 2 a perspective of the framework of the completed units of Fig. 1; Fig. 3a perspective of the framework of a unit; Fig. 4 a perspective of one of the end frames of such framework; Fig. 5 a side elevation of two units with a portion broken away but on a larger scale than in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 6a front elevation of the units illustrated in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 a front elevation of portions of two stacks arranged side by side illustrating by the portion broken away the means for locking them together; Fig. 8 a perspective of the locking plate shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 a perspective of one of the leveling plates used at the outer corners of units which are so locked together and Fig. 10 a perspective of one of the bases.

Referring to the present embodiment of my invention, the filing case consists of two or more units, made of sheet metal and each comprising a framework and a drawer adapted to slide therein. My invention concerns. more particularly the construction of this framework which comprises a front end frame 1, and a rear end frame 2 which are the same in size and general structure and connected at their lower corners by means of the longitudinally-extending angle-irons 3 and at their upper portions by means of the plate 4 having vertically-depending flanges 4 With respect to the lower horizontal member of the rear frame 2 there is.

The front end frame 1 is provided at its a upper corners with L-shaped openings or recesses 1 and its lower corners are provided with dependmg lugs 1 The rearend frame '2 is provided at its upper corners with openings or recesses 2 which are similar to the recesses 1. Both the sets' of'recesses 1 and 2 extend downwardly and then inwardly toward the middle portion of the framework. The rear end frame 2 is provided at its lower corners with depending lugs 2 which are adapted to be received by the recesses 2 of the framework of the unit next below. The object of providing the L-shaped recesses 2 and the hook-shaped lugs 2 is to cause a positive interlocking of the units at their rearward ends against any possibility of disengagement and tilting in case one or more drawers of the stack should be in open position.

The bases or supports for a unit or series I of units forminga stack comprise two angu- In Fig. 7 I have illustrated two stacks con-.

taining two units each placed side by side with one of these plates 8 overlapping the junction line between the two stacks and interposed between the two units of each stack and having the two adjacent lugs 1 passing through the hole 8 of the locking plate. It is obvious that this locking .plate would raise the level of these particular corners of the units and in order to level the outer corners leveling plates 9 such as illustrated in Fig. 9 are employed at such outer corners. Each leveling plate consists of a fiat piece of metal bent at its middle at right angles and having a hole punched therein at such angle. One of the flanges of this leveling plate which is of a thickness cor: respon ing to that of the plate 8 fits between outer corners of the two units. of a stack while the other flange thereof extends downwardly along the'outer vertical side member of the end frame, the depending lug 1 of the uppermost unit extending through the hole 9. It will be understood that the locking plates 8 are placed at the front and back end frames and that correspondingly four leveling plates 9 are employed at the four outermost corners of the two stacks shown in Fig. 7, a greater number of said locking and leveling plates being of course used according to the number of units in the two stacks.

I claim:

1. A filing caseconsisting of a plurality.

of units each of which has fixed to its lower corners front and rear pairs of depending lugs flush with the sides of the unit, the rear pair of said lugs being L-shaped, and each of which units is formed with openings extending from the upper corners down its sides adapted to receive the lugs of a superposed unit, the L-shaped lugs engaging vertically and by backward and forward movement to lock the units together against vertical separation, and the. forward pair of lugs engaging vertically to prevent relative backward and forward movement of the units.

2. A filing case consisting of a plurality of units, each of which includes a frame-work comprising similar vertically-disposed front and rear frames of strap-iron and longitudinal connecting pieces forming horizontal slideways, the metal of each frame being cut to form depending lugs flush with the sides of the frame and the frame being cut away at the upper corners to form openings extending down its sides adapted to receive the lugs of a superposed unit.

3. A filing case consisting of a plurality of units each of which includes a framework comprisin similar vertically-disposed front and rear frames of strap-iron, longitudinal connecting pieces forming horizontal slideways, the metal of the rear frame being cut to form depending hook-shaped lugs flush with the sides of the frame and the upper corners of each frame being cut away to form openings extending down its sides adapted to receive the lugs of a superposed unit, the openings of the rear frame being under cut to receive the hook-shaped lugs of the superposed unit.

' 4. A filing case consisting of a plurality of units each of which includes a framework comprising similar vertically-dispo ed.

rectangular front and rear frames of strapiron, longitudinally extending angle-irons forming horizontal slideways secured to the lower corner of such frames, and a flanged cover-plate secured. to the upper portion of *said frames, the metal f eachframe being 'cut to form depending ugs flush with the' .forming horizontal slideways secured to the lower corner of such frames, and a flanged cover-plate secured to the upper portion of said frames, said plate fitting into the upper corners of the fra'meand closing the top of the frame opening. I

6. A filing case consisting of a plurality of units each of which includes a framework having at its lower corners depending lugs and openings at its upper corners to receive the lugs of a superimposed unit, and leveling plates insertible 'at the corners of units placed side by side, each of said plates having a hole through which pass the lugs of two laterally-adjacent units.

7. A filing case consisting of a plurality of units each of which includes a framework having at its lower corners depending lugs and openings at its upper corners to receive the lugs of a superimposed unit, means for securing together two sections placed side by side comprising plates each having a hole through which pass the lugs at the inner corners of two laterally-adjacent units, and leveling plates arranged at the outer corners of such units.

8. A filing case consisting of a plurality of units each of which includes a framework having at its lower corners depending lugs and openings at its upper corners to receive the lugs of a superimposed unit, means for securing together two sections placed side by side comprising plates each having a hole through which pass the lugs at the inner corners of two laterally adja cent units, and leveling plates-arranged at the outer corners of such units, and held .in place by the lugs at such corners.

9. A filing case consisting of a plurality of units each of which includes a framework having at its lower corners depending lugs and openings at its upper corners to skeleton frame made up of a front pair and a rear pair of uprights, front and rear cross bars connecting the upper ends of the frontand rear uprights respectively, opposite angle bars connecting respective front and rear uprights the bottom flange of each angle bar extending inwardly, the uprights extending below the sidebars, and a top plate lying within the uprights and having depending longitudinal flanges.

11. A cabinet union or section having a skeleton frame made up of a front pair and a rear pair of uprights, front and rear cross bars connecting the upper ends of the front and rear uprights respectively, opposite angle bars connecting respective front and rear uprights, the bottom flange of each angle bar extending inwardly, and atop plate lying within the uprights and having depending longitudinal flanges, said unit being formed to interlock with adjacent units in the same stack.

12. In a filing case consisting of a plurality of similar units built up in a vertical stack, a unit comprising a framework having similar vertically-disposed rectangular front and rear frames of strap-iron, a sheet metal track having vertical flanges and forming a horizontal slideway fitting within and secured to such frames at their lower corners, and a flanged cover plate fitting within and secured to the upper portion of said frames and closing the top of the frame opening, said framework being equipped with interlocking members arranged to lock adjacent units against lateral displacement.

LUDWIG T. KUE. Witnesses WALTER H. HANNA, T. E. BURKHOLDER. 

